By Lance Jennings
TULARE, CA – MARCH 30, 2010…Officials from Tulare’s Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway have announced that they are reducing ticket prices for this Saturday’s event featuring the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series and the Central California Modifieds.
Prices for the April 3rd event are $15 Reserved Grandstand Tickets and Bleacher Tickets are $12. Advance tickets are on sale and can be purchased by calling the track office at (559) 688-0909. For more event information, please visit the track’s website at www.tularethunderbowl.com.
Leading the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car point standings is Fresno’s Craig Stidham. After finishing third at Bakersfield last Saturday, Stidham now enjoys a 28-point advantage over Tipton’s “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., who won the March 13th event at Hanford after starting sixteenth.
Sitting third in the points is “The Central Valley Samurai” Garrett Ishii from Caruthers. Ishii finished eighth at Bakersfield and battled with hometown racer Chris Ennis for the early lead. Ennis, who is now fourth in the points, went on to finish seventh and T.J. Smith, who is currently fifth in the points chase, crossed the finish line in ninth. Kerman’s Davey Pombo scored the Bakersfield victory, while Dean “Kiwi” Alexander won the Tulare season opener on March 6th.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are 2006 SCRA champion Jonathan Logan from Hanford, Bakersfield’s Rusty Carlile, multi-series and multi-track champion Peter Murphy of Clovis, defending series champion Justyne Hamblin of Hanford, 4-time Santa Maria track champion “Junkyard” Jimmy Thompson of Arroyo Grande, and Visalia’s Jace and Richard VanderWeerd.
The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, Cory Kruseman’s Sprint Car & Midget Driving School, Crow Enterprizes, DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Hinchman-Indy Racing Uniforms, Integra Shocks, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Port City Racing, and Saferacer.com for their support.
The Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway is located on the Tulare County Fairgrounds at the corner of Bardsley and K Streets in Tulare.
For more information on the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series, please visit www.racesantamariaspeedway.com, and www.usacracing.com.
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USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT CAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS – 03/27/10:
1. Craig Stidham, 3S- 183
2. Danny Faria Jr., 17V- 155
3. Garrett Ishii, 71G- 146
4. Chris Ennis, 86- 141
5. T.J. Smith, 14- 140
6. Davey Pombo, 3- 134
7. Jonathan Logan, 32- 129
8. Rusty Carlile, 51- 123
9. Andy Ferris, 4J- 119
10. Peter Murphy, 21- 117
11. Jace VanderWeerd, 88- 116
12. Justyne Hamblin, 8- 116
13. Jimmy Thompson, 71R- 110
14. Dean Alexander, 11- 103
15. Matt Day, 97- 74
16. Richard VanderWeerd, 10- 70
17. Kevin Barnes, 36B- 61
18. Dave Knott, 28- 56
19. Jesse Mack, 8M- 52
20. Steve Osborne, 9J- 47